Bath-mat.



E. R. CROOKER.

BATH MAT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY14. I915.

1,173,56 1. Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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l v 7 WITNESSES INVENTOR W/WW 2/5 Z A E COLUMBLA PLANOGRAPH 60-. WASHINGTON n c EDWIN;R. CROOKER, OF LOS ANGELES. CALIFORNIA.

BATH-MAT.

nvader.

T0 (ZZZ/whom it may concern Be itknown that I, EDWIN R. CRooKnR, a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bath-Mats, of which the following is aspec'ification.

This invention relates to bathma-ts such as are used for taking shower baths and uponwvhich the bather stands, and particularly to that class of mats which serve as receptacles to receive and hold the water used during a bath, so that it does not escape to the floor. I

One object of the invention is to provide a bath mat whose peripheral wall or rim is strengthened and reinforced by a strong base, so that it will stand upright without some special or supplemental holding device, and whose corner joints are simplified and improved, thereby decreasing the cost ofthe mat and making it simpler, more readily handled, and so compact that it can be folded into small space for shipping, carrying or storing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bath mat embodying a' reinforced wall or rim and constructed without open joints through which the water can escape,

such as the stitched or sewed seams of ordinary mats, and which is provided with a continuous coating of waterproof material on both its body and peripheral wall'or rim, so that it is non-leakable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mat of this kind having flexible lifting members so that it can be carried out and emptied, said lifting members being connected. to separable devices enabling them to'be thrown back out of the way of the feet of the bather when bathing. A further object of the invention isto provide a mat construction which prevents spray or drops of water from scattering on the floor and injuring the paint or varnish. Further objects of the invention. are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan view of one form of mat embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is adetail cross section,

on a larger scale, on the line 2-2,Fig. 1;

Fig. 3- is a side elevation; Fig. 4 is aview illustrating how the mat is lifted for emptying the same; Fig. 5 is a perspective view looking at one'of the corners ofthe mat and Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d b, 29!, 191

Application filed m 14, 1915. Serial No. 39,864.

showing how it is'folded; Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the completed corner; Fig. 7 is a detail cross sectional view, corresponding to Fig. 2, and showing a modified form of the invention; Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating a partially completed form; Fig. 9 is a cross section on the line 99, Fig. 8, and showing the completed mat with certain wings applied thereto; Fig. 10 is a view corresponding to Fig. 8 and showing still another modification, and Fig. 11 is a View of a separable device.

The mat'shown in the drawings comprises a fiat sheet 1 of suitable flexible material, such asa textile fabric like heavy canvas or other similar material. This sheet may be of any suitable shape, such as round, oval or rectangular, and in the drawings is shown merely for purposes of illustration as a square sheet. Said sheet at its edges is folded back upon itself to form a two-ply rim or wallQ extending entirely around the sheet and which in normal position thereof when on the floor extends upwardly from the sheet. Beyond the wall or rim 2 the peripheral portions of the sheet 1 extend outwardly in the same plane with the body of the sheet, as at 3, so as to provide a flat base beneath and on both sides of the rim or wall 2. This reinforces the rim and gives'it'sufficient strength and rigidity so that it readily stands upright or in erect position whenthe mat is on the floor without the use of supplemental stiflening or holding devices. To further strengthen and reinforce the structure the material at the edges of the sheet can be-again folded back beneath said sheet and inwardly to a point beyond thethat it will not be affected by moisture or any water collecting in the'mat.

- The mat may consist ofa single piece or a plurality of pieces, as desired. In the mat shown in Fig. 1 said sheet is a single continuous piece of material, so that there are no stitched or sewed seams or oints at the edges. At the corners the excess material is cut and folded outside of the erectportions of the rim or wall 2, as shown at 5, and is glued or cemented thereto. In the form shown in Fig. 7 the sheet consists of a body portion 6 extending out to the rim or wall 2, and said rim or wall is made of one or a plurality, say four, of folded strips 7, which may be of heavier or a difierent material than the body portion 6, if desired. Said strips are folded to form the plural ply rim or wall 2 and the outward extension 3, leaving two inwardly extending edge portions 8, one of which is placed above and the other beneath the edge portions of the central fiat member 6, being cemented or glued thereto with any suitable waterproof.

cement or' glue. If a single strip is used it will be suitably folded at three of the corners and the ends cemented to each other at I the fourth corner, while if desired four. separate stripscan be used forthe four sides of the mat, said strips overlapping at each of the four corners, and being cemented together, as will be readily understood. These cemented joints are waterproof and do not allow any leakage through the material, as does a stitched joint, so that the mat is for all intents and purposes seamless.

In Fig. 8 the-body portion of the mat is folded along longitudinal lines 15 and transvverse'lines 16 so that two opposite side portions'of the rim or wall 2 can be folded inwardly upon the body portion and the other .two opposite side portions outwardly into the plane of the body portion when the mat 1S collapsed. The triangular corner portions 17 are glued or cemented together, as

shown by the shaded portions in Fig. 8.

selves and under the body portion to reinforcethe same. as shown in Fig. 9. The triangular flaps can also be folded inwardly, as shown in Fig. 10, which prevents any 'water or moisture reaching the glue or cement for securing the plies of said flaps.

The mat is also provided on its inner or on bothsurfaces with a continuous coating of waterproof material, such as rubber or the like. This material can be applied to the mat either .before or after folding or attaching its edge portions to produce the rim orwall 2. When the mat is made of a single continuous sheet, as in Fig. 1, it may be coated before folding the same, although if the coating is applied after the folding operation the corner. joints are improved by the additional coating of rubber thereon. lVhen' the mat is made of a plurality of pieces glued or cemented to each other, as in Figs/Z, 8 and 10, the coating of rubber is preferably applied after the rim or wall has been attached to the body of the mat.

The mat is also provided with a plurality of flexible lifting members, shown as cords 10 tied or otherwise attached at their outer ends to eyelets ,ll spaced at intervals around the or wall2. Each cord has its opposite ends connected to two adjacent loops or eyelets 11, and its middle portion is threaded through one of a pair'of separable devices 12 which normally lie adjacent the center I of the mat. These devices may be ordinary harness snaps, as in Fig. 11, but are shown as rings,- one or both of which is split, as shown at 13, to enable said rings to be detached from each other.

to bend outwardly and hold them in erect position when the mat is opened out.

When a bath is finished the rings 12 are grasped with the hand and lifted, so that the mat. becomes concave or in the form of an inverted umbrella, as shown in Fig. 4,

enabling the water to be carried out and.

emptied. When the mat lies flat on the floor These cords resist the normal tendency of the heavy side walls the rings 12 can be separated and thrown back to one side, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,-so that said cordswillnot interfere with the feet of the bather, although they are useful in holding the walls upright, as before stated. 7 I

Each of the mats described may also be provided witha set of extensionsor wings 25, one on each of its sides, which will be a of any suitable size or shape and will be fastened tothe walls 2 of the mat by button l fasteners or other suitable devices. Said extensions are preferably made of some absorbent material, like toweling, so as to take up all spray or drops of water which might otherwise fall on the floor and injure its 1 finish. a

The mat described is simple and inexpen sive and can be readily folded up into a compact package either for shipping or storing. It is usually used with portable bath apparatus in farmhouses, camps, suburban dwellings or other places wherethere is no water supply system. i

What I claim is 1. A bath mat, comprising a flexible flat v sheet provided with an upwardly extending .wall around its periphery and having an extension beyond said wall in the plane of said sheet to reinforce and .strengthen the same. I V

2. A bath mat, comprising a flexible flat sheet provided with an upwardly extending wall around its periphery and having an extension beyond said wall in the plane of said sheet to reinforce and strengthen the same, the peripheral portions of said sheet beneath and adjacent said wall being com posed of a plurality of plies.

3. A bath mat, comprising a flexible flat sheet provided with an upwardly extending wall around its periphery and having an extension beyond said wall in the plane of said sheet to reinforce and strengthen the same, said sheet and wall being provided with a continuous coating of waterproof material.

4. A bath mat, comprising a flexible fiat sheet provided with an upwardly extending Wall around its periphery and having an extension beyond said wall in the plane of said sheet to reinforce and strengthen the same, the peripheral portions of said sheet beneath and adjacent said wall being composed of a plurality of plies, said sheet and wall being provided with a continuous coating of waterproof material.

5. A bath mat, comprising a fiat sheet having near its edges two superposed plies to form an upstanding wall or rim, the outer ply extending outwardly beyond said wall and in the same plane as the body of the sheet, to form a reinforcing base for said Wall.

6. A bath mat, comprising a flat sheet having near its edges two superposed plies to form an upstanding wall or rim, the outer ply extending outwardly beyond said wall and being folded back upon itself be neath said wall to form a reinforcing base for the same.

7. A bath mat, comprising a flat sheet having near its edges two superposed plies to form an upstanding wall or rim, the outer ply extending outwardly beyond said wall and in the same plane as the body of the sheet to form a reinforcing base for said wall, said sheet and wall being provided rable members normally located adjacent the 7 center of said sheet and to each of which a part of said supporting members are connected, whereby said mat can be lifted by its supports when said members are connected, or said supports can be thrown back out of the way when said members are disconnected.

10. A bath mat, comprising a flexible flat sheet having an upright rim or wall, a plurality of flexible supports connected at intervals to said rim or wall, and two detachably connected members normally located adjacent the center of said sheet, a part of said supports being connected to each of said members, whereby said mat can be lifted by its supports when said rings are connected or said supports can be thrown back out of the way when said members are disconnected.

11. Abath mat, comprising a body portion having an upstanding rim or wall, and extensions attached to the peripheral portions of said mat for catching and absorbing water or spray.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWIN R. CROOKER. Witnesses:

GLENN H. LnREscHn, WILLIAM B. WHARTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

